EEOC Strategic Enforcement Plan and What It Means for Employers
Increasing use of technology in employment decisions will be a focus of the EEOC
Common Cold and Flu Home Treatments and Prevention Reminders
Home Care for the Common Cold and Flu
OSHA Announces Top 10 Violations for 2023
OSHA recently revealed its top 10 most frequently cited standards in the 2023 fiscal year using...
CMS Proposes Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities
The new CMS regulations aims to combat chronic understaffing in long-term care facilities.
Producers Have Mixed Feelings About the New WGA Contract
The contract includes significant raises in writers' wages, minimum staffing requirements, and AI...
Upcoming NCCI Experience Modification Changes for 2024
This article provides an overview on the NCCI X-Mod changes to take place in 2024
National Labor Relations Board Announces New Joint Employer Standards
On 10/26/23, the NLRB announced a final rule that establishes new criteria to determine...
Winter Weather Preparedness Guide for Businesses
The following guide provides suggestions for steps to take before a storm—to minimize losses.
When Should You Be Concerned About Gambling in the Workplace?
You might not permit a poker table in the break room, but what about allowing fantasy football...
EEOC Significantly Increased Discrimination Lawsuits in FY 2023
Data from the EEOC showed the agency filed 50% more employment discrimination lawsuits in 2023
Special Event Insurance
Hosting events like concerts, festivals, conferences, trade shows & sporting events puts a business...
Workplace Flexibility as a Reasonable Accommodation
Some organizations do not offer flexible work arrangements, but there may be times they need to...
Should You Expand Your Staffing Agency Into Medical Staffing?
Expanding an established staffing agency into healthcare staffing can be a strategic move to...
Work Comp: How to Read an Experience Modification Worksheet
An experience modification rating (EMR) provides a numeric factor for adjusting insurance premiums.
Cyber-Risk Exposure Scorecard - MANUFACTURING
A cybersecurity scorecard is a valuable asset for manufacturing companies that rely on...
Employee Wellness as a Recruitment Factor
Employers can benefit by offering programs and resources that enhance employee wellness.
Tailoring Benefits for a Multigenerational Workforce At Open Enrollment
Age often impacts the benefits that employees most desire!
OSHA Proposes Changes for Employee Representation During Inspection
OSHA gives the employer & employees the right to have a representative authorized by them accompany...
Avoiding Slips, Trips and Falls in Home Care Settings
The unique nature of home care settings can make health workers and patients more vulnerable to...
Preparing for an OSHA Visit in the Entertainment Industry
In the arts, recreation and entertainment industry, OSHA has the right to inspect a place of...
The Risk of Adopting Nocturnal Work Schedules in Extreme Heat
In response to these climate trends, many employers are switching to nocturnal work schedules.
40% of Injuries Involve Workers With Less Than One Year on the Job
The Importance of Safety Orientations in Onboarding Minimizing workplace injuries is vital for...
Six Ways to Capture Employees Attention at Open Enrollment and Keep It Year Round
Consider these strategies for capturing employees attention and keeping it throughout the year.
Calling Employers Who Sponsor Health Plans: 2024 Open Enrollment Changes
To get ready for open enrollment, employers who sponsor group health plans should be aware of legal...
Six Trends Affecting Workers' Compensation Insurance
Work Comp plays a major role in connecting injured employees to care, so it’s crucial to develop an...
Safety on the Set: Protecting Cast Members and Your Investment
In most states, producers are obligated to provide workers' compensation coverage for cast and crew.
OSHA Expands Injury Submission Requirements for High-Hazard Industries
High hazard industries include warehousing, manufacturing, construction. Click for High hazard...
The Fed Raises Interest Rates to Highest Level in 22 Years!
On 7/23/23, the Fed raised interest rates a 1/4 percentage point to try and combat inflation.
New Form I-9 Available 8-1-23, With a Remote Verification Option
Employers are required to use Form I-9 to verify that their employees are authorized to work in the...
Health Care Costs Projected to Grow 7% in 2024
High cost medications, drug shortages and supply chain disruptions drive health care costs upward
OSHA Launches National Emphasis Program for Warehouse and Distribution Center Hazards
On 7/13, OSHA launched a National Emphasis Program to prevent workplace hazards in warehouses and...
Employees Favor Four Day WorkWeek, But Will It Work For Your Business?
An Ernst & Young survey found that nearly 40% of companies were in the process of implementing a...
Understanding the Experience Modification Factor Can Drastically Affect Your Work Comp Costs
An important aspect in determining the cost of workers' compensation insurance is the experience...
Establishing Hybrid Work Arrangements
This simple checklist can help you establish hybrid work arrangements that benefit companies and...
Production Equipment Theft is on the Rise: Beware of the “Unattended Vehicle Exclusion”
One way film and camera crews can protect themselves from loss is by having essential insurance...
OSHA'S Safe & Sound Week August 7-13
Each year more than 3.6 million employees are seriously injured on the job.
By Understanding the Latest Benefit Trends Employers Gain an Advantage
Understanding the latest benefits trends can help employers evaluate their offerings to best meet...
Cyber Insurance: What it Covers
Cyber insurance, can help organizations pay for expenses that may result from incidents like data...
The Supreme Court Has Made Rulings Regarding Student Loans, Affirmative Action, and Religious Accommodations
The U.S. Supreme Court recently issued several consequential decisions addressing religious...
How Workers' Compensation Brokers Save Companies Money
Six ways workers' compensation brokers help companies save money.
property damage and bodily injury incidents: The importance of prompt reporting
Prompt incident reporting is an essential component of risk management and can offer businesses...
timing is everything: Why using a nurse triage program in work comp makes sense
One of the most significant factors that affect the cost of workers’ compensation claims is the...
Strategies for identifying and resolving gaps in benefit offerings
In today's competitive employment landscape, many organizations recognize that employees are their...
Form I-9 considerations for summer employees
Each summer, an influx of individuals join the workforce. Summer employment offers younger workers...
small business insights: How to Manage Business Risks
A vital aspect of running a small business involves managing its associated risks, as no operations...
Building a Workplace Culure of Health and Wellbeing
According to a recent poll from management consulting company Gallup, less than 25% of U.S....
understanding the basics of pay transparency
The tight labor market has led employees to make new demands. One of the newest expectations of...
Prioritizing Mental Health in the Film and TV Industry
Workers in the Film and Entertainment Industries May be Disproportionately Affected by Mental...
Safety matters: handling pest bites and stings
During the summer more employees work outdoors, so it’s important to be prepared for the risk of...
The Heat Is On: OSHA Has Targeted Temporary Employment Agencies as an industry to watch!
The summer months are approaching and along with them comes hot weather. OSHA has targeted...
understanding premium audits
Audits can be daunting for businesses. An IRS or insurance audit or a vendor needing records can be...
considerations for switching to a self-funded health plan
As health care costs continue to rise, many employers are searching for ways to control costs while...
Staffing AGency Recognizes Barrow Group's Kevin Kilcoyne for Lifetime Partner Award
Superior Skilled Trades has recognized Kevin Kilcoyne for a "Lifetime Partner Award" CEO, Seth...
identifying and retaining your best workers
Identifying and retaining key employees is always important, but especially so during times of high...
legalized marijuana and employment toolkit
While all marijuana use remains illegal under federal law, most states have enacted laws that allow...
ncci study finds changes in opioid drugs impact work comp costs
Prescribing Patterns for Drugs Have Mitigated Work Comp Medical Cost Increases
osha citation case study: Dec, 2022
Construction Contractor Cited for $250,000 in Deadly Trench Collapse
Report shows 9 in 10 employers to change health & wellbeing vendors
“High-performing health and well-being vendors are now vital to employers. They have become a...
Employer's guide to navigating a recession
A recession can create numerous challenges for employers, often requiring them to adapt for their...
How to Interact With an OSHA Inspector
The best way to avoid paying fines for violating Occupational Health and Safety Administration...
Understanding the Quiet Hiring Trend
HR professionals have likely already heard about “quiet quitting,” where employees put no more...
how the end of the covid-19 emergency period will impact health plans
The Biden Administration has announced its plan to end the COVID-19 national emergency and public...
2023 Employee benefits market outlook
The 2023 Employee Benefits Market Outlook examines critical employee benefits topics and trends,...
OSHA Issues new penalty enforcement guidance
On Jan. 26, 2023, OSHA announced it issued new enforcement guidance making its penalties more...
Curbing productivity paranoia
Since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, employers have embraced remote and hybrid work models,...
creating a cyber incident response plan
The way a company responds to a cyber incident can make or break its financial and reputational...
Four employee wellness trends to watch in 2023
Workplace well-being transforms every day, so employers’ wellness initiatives will continue to grow...
labor shortages and business liability risks: Steps employers Can Take
The past year has seen labor shortages across industry lines. According to a recent study from the...
using temporary heating devices safely
For some of us, the onset of cooler weather means heating our work area with temporary heaters....
pyrotechnic safety tips and video production insurance
While many of the special effects in today’s films are done with computers, computers still have...
job openings dropped in october but remain high
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released its October Job Openings and Labor...
post open enrollment checklist
An organization’s post-open enrollment activities can be just as important as the tasks that must...
More Workers Quitting jobs before one-year anniversary
The trend for workers to leave their jobs before their one year anniversary is increasing. Workers...
workers' compensation claims for leased or temporary workers
Many companies are increasingly turning to staffing agencies to meet their personnel needs for a...
how to recession-proof your life
Many Americans and economists think rising inflation issues, interest rates and housing costs may...
medical malpractice is the most severe loss in senior care facilities
The number of older Americans is steadily increasing. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2019,...
four employee engagement tips to prevent quiet quitting
“Quiet quitting” continues to be an emerging trend where workers only do what their job description...
assembling an inflation-proof benefits package
Employers are becoming increasingly concerned about inflation’s impact on their employees,...
tips for bringing employees back to the office
Everyday life looks and feels relatively similar to before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. As many...
state minimum wage rates for 2023
The current federal minimum wage rate is $7.25 per hour. However, several states have adopted...
wage and hour case studies: Today's DOL Violation Trends
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) is tasked with enforcing...
five strategies for tackling rising health care costs in 2023
Most employers are concerned about their health care costs rising in 2023. According to Willis...
Barrow Group celebrates 25 years!
This year Barrow Group celebrates 25 years since becoming a corporation. Barrow Group is a niche...
Understanding FMLA leave for Mental Health Conditions
Mental health is a growing concern in the workplace. Over the past few years, many employees have...
Cyber liability: The Importance of Two-Factor Authentication
As cyber attacks become more and more common, protecting your data is increasingly difficult. In...
Negative Film, Videotape and faulty stock insurance
Though the world has turned to documenting their lives using digital cameras, producers create...
understanding the quiet quitting trend
"Quiet quitting” is an emerging trend where workers only do what their job description entails...
Are you covered for the 5 most common commercial liability exposures?
Almost every organization faces commercial liability exposures. A commercial liability loss...
Top Ten osha citations in 2021 for arts, entertainment and recreation
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) keeps records not only of the most...
employment practice liability trends to watch
2022 Midyear Market Outlook Like other lines of insurance, the employment practices liability (EPL)...
home health care safety: preventing needlestick and sharps injuries
Needlestick and other sharps injuries are a serious hazard in any health care setting. Contact with...
the value of belonging in the workplace
Social belonging is a fundamental human need—one that naturally extends to the workplace. According...
american rescue plan expiration could result in premium increases
According to a recent analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation, the expiration of ARPA subsidies...
hiring out-of-state employees
While hiring out-of-state employees gives your organization access to a wider pool of talent, it...
Pay or Play affordability percentage decreased in 2023
On Aug. 1, 2022, the IRS issued Revenue Procedure (Rev. Proc.) 2022-34 to index the contribution...
the impact of sleep on mental health
Not only is your physical health affected when you don’t get enough sleep, but it also takes a toll...
DOL's overtime rule may exempt executives from flsa's requirements
In its recent spring regulatory agenda, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced its plans to...
osha enhances safety to protect trenching and excavation workers
Twenty-two workers have already been killed due to deadly trenching and excavation hazards in...
six factors driving commercial auto losses
The same things causing personal auto losses to rise are the same things causing commercial auto...
the importance of insuring your production
As a producer in the entertainment industry, #ProductionInsurance may be one of the last things on...
beginning open enrollment early presents massive opportunity
The job market is still dealing with the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers are taking...
surprise! osha's here
While OSHA does not visit worksites often, they usually show up unannounced. Knowing what OSHA will...
technology and labor shortages cause greater dependence on gig workers
Understanding the Role of Gig Workers in Today’s Workforce The gig economy is a system in which...
know your limits. . .Monthly wrap up of mid-market business losses
This article examines a number of recent severe business losses related to various lines of...
heat illness can be life threatening . . hang this osha-approved poster to help prevent heat illness
Avoid Heat Illness When it is hot outside, your body temperature can rise to dangerous levels....
Group Health Plans Must post pricing information on public websites!
The Transparency in Coverage Final Rules (TiC Final Rules) require group health plans and health...
cost of workers' compensation claims on the rise
The workers’ compensation sector of the commercial insurance industry is generally a stable and...
June is national safety month
The purpose of this event is to spread safety awareness to help prevent workplace injuries and...
Cannabis Businesses See Frequent D&O and Cyber Losses
The legal cannabis market is growing rapidly. It was valued at $9.1 billion in 2020, and industry...
Workplace technology: using an applicant tracking system
According to Capterra, 75% of recruiters and talent managers use recruiting software or an...
memorial day: more than just the day the pools open
Memorial Day: Moment of Remembrance Memorial Day is a time for picnics, fun and festivities, but it...
office ergonomics: Re-emerging issues as employees return to work
Proper ergonomics—designing the workplace to fit within the capabilities and limitations of...
Avoiding carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a byproduct of combustion. This gas is odorless, colorless and tasteless,...
Workers' compensation and post traumatic stress disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop in people after...
osha national emphasis program on outdoor and indoor heat hazards
osha IS LAUNCHING A TARGETED PROGRAM TO PROTECT WORKERS ACROSS THE NATION FROM THE INCREASING...
ten ways to protect yourself from cyberattacks
Cyberattacks are becoming more prevalent and sophisticated each year. With so much of daily life...
Not seen since 1981--Consumer price index up 8.5% this year!
The Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced that, over the past 12 months, the U.S. consumer...
Autism Spectrum Disorders: CDC Estimates 1 in 68 Children affected
April is National Autism Awareness Month Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) refer to a group of...
spring storm safety tips for businesses
Spring can bring about some of the year’s most dangerous weather and wreak havoc on many aspects of...
Harden Your Cyber Defenses, White House Warns Private Sector
In a March 21, 2022 statement, President Joe Biden cautioned businesses in the private sector to...
DOL Urges Healthcare Facilities to create Safety and Health Programs
Increased Health Care Injury and Illness Rates Are Staggering A recent news release from the U.S....
Society of Certified Insurance Counselors Honors Kevin Kilcoyne for Fifteen Years of Dedicated Leadership and Professional Development
Congratulations to Kevin Kilcoyne of Barrow Group, LLC for being awarded a certificate of...
DOL Focuses On Protecting the Rights of Truckers and Warehousing & Logistics Workers
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced an initiative that will focus on safeguarding...
Understanding the Value of a "Learning" Workplace Culture
As many employers today are finding ways to combat attraction and retention challenges, learning...
OSHA Announces Enforcement Effort for High-hazard Health Care Facilities
On March 7, 2022, OSHA announced an enforcement memorandum for a short-term increase in highly...
Baby boomers vs. millennials: the Employee Benefits they value!
A person’s age influences many of their characteristics over time—their hair color, their muscle...
what is cast coverage and why do i need it?
Cast coverage includes many things, including loss as a result of death, injury or sickness and...
2022 workers' compensation insurance outlook
For tips for insurance buyers, scroll to the bottom
2022 WORKERS' COMPENSATION MARKET OUTLOOK
Unlike other lines of coverage, the market for workers’ compensation insurance has remained stable...
Health Plans will be required to cover over-the-counter covid-19 tests
(EVEN WITHOUT THE INVOLVEMENT OF A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER)
Who is responsible for safety training?
From OSHA's perspective, who is responsible for safety training? Is it the staffing agency or the...
state laws restricting covid-19 vaccine mandates and passports
Since COVID-19 vaccines first became available, several states have enacted laws that restrict or...
OSHA SUSPENS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COVID-19 VACCINATION AND TESTING ETS
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published on their website on Nov. 16,...
A Guide to Cyber Risk for Boards of Directors
Simply put, every organization that stores or handles data is at risk of a cyberattack. As...
breast cancer: still one of the most prevalent types of cancer:
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Although most people are aware of breast cancer, many...
five tips to help prevent eye injuries at work
Making the Most of Eye Injury Prevention Month According to Prevent Blindness America, almost 90%...
7 steps to light duty programs
By Allen Smith, JD, September 29, 2021
the ideal open enrollment timeline
The most successful open enrollment campaigns start engaging employees months before enrollment...